Well tool



July 8, 1941.

B. YOUNG WELL TOOL Filed Feb. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f/v VE/V 70/2505' YOUNG WM 511mm firro'zP/vfr B. YOUNG July 8, 1941.

WELL TOOL v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1939 m m H WW 6 W m N: .7 inp Patented July 8, 194 1 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Bob 1:2 Htfsfn,Tex.

Application February 25, 1939, Serial No. 258,392

7 Claims.

The invention relates to a well tool and more particularly to a toolwhich is adapted to be lowered into a well bore upona tubing string andto form a pack-oil at a desired level.

In deep well operations such as the drilling and production of wells itis frequently desirable to provide a pack-oil between a tubing stringand the surrounding well bore or tubing. As examples of such operationsreference is made to sample taking or formation testing, cementing,screen cleaning, etc. In such cases a period during which a device isstationary within a well may resultin sticking of the device bysedimentation, caving, heaving or the setting of cement where cementingis being carried out. It is an object of the invention to provide a toolwhich includes a packer and which is so constructed that the operatingstringand portions of the tool may be rotated after the packer is set.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the classdescribed in which a mandrel is rotatably connected to the remainder ofthe device.

Another object is to provide a device' which includes an anchor andpacker assembly in which the anchor and packer may be successfully setby the application of lifting force upon the lowering mechanism. Stillanother object is to provide a device of the class described to beattached to a tubing string and in which slips may be initiallyset bypumping fluid downwardly thru the string and device.

The foregoing objects together with other objects will be apparent, fromthe following description' taken in connection with the accomticn isshown attached to a. tubing string l a or mandrel 2 surroundedby a packoff assembly positions when the anchoring mechanism is ac.-

tuated.

Fig. 8 illustrates the relative position of parts in the modifiedconstruction when both the anchor and packer are set.

In Figs. 1 and 2 an embodiment of the invenand as comprising acylindrical body member generally designated as 3.

The reducer connection 4 interconnects the tubing i and the body 2 thelatter of which terminates at its lower end in a collar 4' pro- I videdwith threads 5 whereby a suitable tool may be connected thereto androtated by rotative efiort imparted to the tubing string l. Themechanism for lowering the device while in in operative position to adesired level within a casing or tubing 6 and thereafter setting thedevice at such desired level will now be described.

The assembly 3 includes-an antifrlction bearing l0 interposed betweenupwardly facing shoulder ii on the collar 4' and a lower packer ring l2mounted on mandrel 2. the ring [2 and surrounding the body 2 is anexpansible packer ring l3 reduced peripherally at M to fit withina-complementary recess in panding movement to slips l8 surrounding theexpander member and provided with upwardly projecting teeth 20 forengagement with the panying drawingsin which Figs. 1 and 2 areelevational views partly in section showing an embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 1.

Fig.4 is a .sectional view taken on line 4-4- in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an assembly view partly in section' showing the relativeposition of parts when the .tool is set within the tubing string in abore hole.

Fig. 6 illustrates'a modification'ofthe packer Fig. 7 is afragmentalview showing the'consh'uction' oi 'Fig. 6 with the parts inrespective casing 6 when the tool is .in use.

Above the tapered portion I! the expander member has a cylindricalportion l9 which extends upwardly to a point closely adjacent theshoulder 2! at the lower end of the connector 4.

Surrounding the cylindrical portion IQ of the expander member is aspring cage 22 provided with bowed springs 23 which .are secured withinslots 24 in the surface of member 22, and adapted to engage the casing 6to provide sufllcient frictional contact that there is a tendency forthe anchor packer assembly 3 to remain atany desired'position within thecasing. An internal groove 25 in the lower 'end of the spring cage 22receives flanges 26 at the upper ends of the slipsl8 whereby these slipsare freely carried at the lower end ef the'spring cage and may be movedradially of the device in a manner that will be more fully apparent.

Surmounting' The connector i is provided with projections or trunnions3B which are adapted to move into the open ended slots iii of cage 22and to engage within the undercut portion 32 of the slots. It isbelieved apparent that as the device is being lowered into or withdrawnfrom the casing 6, the anchor packer assembly 3 is caused to movetogether with the remainder of the device thru the driving force exertedbetween the projections 39 and the undercut portion 32 of the slips 3i.

The operation of the construction as above described is believedapparent. Attention is directed to the fact that when the device hasreached a desired level within the well the tubing string i may berotated left handedly sufliciently to disengage the projections 30 fromwithin their respective slots in the cage 22. A lifting effort is thenapplied to the tubing string l whereupon initial movement of the body 2relative to the remainder of the device will cause the slips i8 to rideupon tapered surface i1 and thus be brought into engagement with theinner surface of the casing 6. This action is instrumental in fixedlyanchoring the anchor and packer assembly within the casing.

Further lifting of the tubing string i will cause the pins 30 to movefrom within the open ended slots 3| and will at the same time exertsuflicient force upon the lower packer ring i2 that the packer sleeve i3will be brought into sealing en gagement with the casing 6 so that theparts of the device will assume the relative positions illustrated inFig. 5. In this manner an efiective seal will be made between the body 2and the casing 6. The provision of antifriction hearing I!) will.however, permit the tubing string I together with the body 2 to berotated so that the tendency of the device to become stuck fromsedimentation or other sources will be minimized.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is designed to enablethe initial setting of the slips l8 by merely pumping fluid downwardlythru the bore within the body 2. This action is brought about byproviding a chamfer in the recess in the expandermember and the upperend of the packer sleeve ii to form a small chamber 33. An opening 3 ileads from the interior of the ,body 2 to the chamber 33.

It is to be noted that the channel ,in the expander member l6"in thisconstruction is deeper than thatshown in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2and that the upper end of the packer member i3 is elongated to fitwithin this channel. Hence when fluid is pumped downwardly thru thetubing string l and the body 2, pressure is exerted with- 'in thechamber 33 and the expander i6 is moved upwardly to the positionillustrated in Fig, '7.

Thisprovides an initial setting of the slips 18. 7 Subsequent release ofthe body 2 from the spring cage 22 permits the tubing string itobe movedso that the packer sleeve I! will move upwardly within the channel inthe member l8. At the same time the passage 3! will move upwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 8.

The foregoing describes a construction embodying the invention whichbroadly comprehends a tool in which there is provided an anchor andpacker assembly and which is so constructed that the tubing string towhich the device is attached may be rotated after the packer has beenset, whereby the numerous advantages of the invention are realized.

. prising a tubular body having a passage therethrough, an expandersurrounding the body, a spring cage surrounding the body and releasablyconnected thereto, said cage including members adapted to engagecylindrical walls surrounding the tool and to'resist movement of thecage relative to said walls, slips attached to the cage and movableradially outwardly upon relative longitudinal movement of the expanderand cage, a packer surrounding the body below said expander and athrustbearing between the lower end of the body and the packer whereby thetubular body may be rotated when the spring cage is released therefrom.

2. In a well tool of the class described, the

combination of a cylindrical member, an anchor and packer assemblysurrounding said member, said assembly including means for frictionallyengaging cylindrical walls surrounding the tool, slips attached to saidmeans, a packer below said slips, means for expanding said slips whensaid member is moved upwardly to expand the packer, and thrust bearingmeans between the member and the lower end of said packer.

- 3. In a well tool of the class described a cylindrical body, anexpander member surrounding the body and movable relative thereto, aplurality of slips engageable by said expander member and movableoutwardly to engagement with surrounding cylindrical walls, saidexpander member having a concavity at one end thereof,,and a packersleeve of expansible material having an end adapted to fit within saidconcavity, there being an opening in the body adjacent said concavitywhereby fluid pressure within the body will move the expander member andeffect initial setting ofthe slips.

4. In a well tool of the class described a cylindrical body, an expandermember movably surrounding the body, said member having a cylindricalconcavity in one end thereof, slips adapted to move outwardly upon thesurface of the expander, a packer surrounding said cylindrical body andincluding a cylindrical surface fitting within said concavity, and apassage in said body for admitting fluid pressure from within the bodyto the interior of the concavity to move the expander.

5. In a well tool, the combination of a cylindrical member, an expanderslidably surrounding said member and having an inwardly taperingperipheral surface thereon, a slip assembly including a plurality ofslips adapted to ride upon the tapering surface and engage a cylindricalsurrounding surface whereby the assembly is anchored to the surroundingsurface; a packer ring rotatably mounted upon the member in opposedrelation with the expander, an expansible packer surrounding the memberbetween the expander and the ring, and a thrust bearing between the saidcylindrical member and said packer ring whereby said member may berotated relative to the packer.

6., In a well tool the combination of a cylindrical member, an expanderslidable thereon, a slip assembly including a plurality of slips adaptedto ride upon the expander and engage an adjacent coaxial surface whenthe member is moved axially thereof, an annular collar attached to saidmember, a packer ring surrounding, the member adjacent said colir, athrust bearing between the ring and collanand an expansibie packersurrounding .the member berounding the tool when the string and mandrelare moved axially of a well bore, a releasable connection between theassembly and mandrel, a packer ring rotatablymounted upon the mandrel inopposed relation with the expander. and a a packer surrounding themandrel between said member and ring to be expanded by relativemovementtherebetween, whereby the string and mandrel may be rotatedafter the packer is set to seal betweenthe mandrel and the surroundingpipe.

BOB YOUNG.

